U.S. Army’s Hydrogen-Powered Chevrolet Colorado to Debut in October

The hydrogen-powered Chevrolet Colorado prototype jointly developed by GM and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) will be unveiled in October, both organizations announced today. Testing for the fuel cell pickup truck began last year, and the Army intends to “conduct user assessments and demonstrations in 2017.”

Exact specifications for the truck haven’t been revealed, but a shadowy teaser image shows that its styling differs significantly from the production Colorado. The prototype features beefy tires, slender headlights, and what looks like the Colorado’s optional sport bar, which visually extends the roofline of the cab when viewed from the side. A rendering released last year showed more of the fuel cell Colorado’s front end, which also sports a unique front bumper with curved LED accents, a unique grille, and large foglights.

The partnership was formed to allow the military and the consumer-driven private sector to share automotive technology. The Department of Defense wants to utilize commercial innovation in its next-gen technologies, which is why it’s going with hydrogen fuel cell tech to demonstrate what it can offer the military. Attributes of hydrogen power include, quieter running, exportable power generation, low-end torque, and water production, which can come in handy in the field.

The fuel cell-powered Colorado will debut at the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) held in Washington, D.C., in October.

Source: GM

 

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